Romancing the Son of Heaven (Part 2)

Stratagem 52: Swoop in for a Last Attack (4)

Qiu Ling flew straight to Jing He's palace at the fastest speed possible in this form. It totally wasn't that he was fed up with waiting and finally wanted to see him again so he selfishly rushed over here. No, of course, there was more to this! He was simply worried about his beloved's well-being, wasn't he?

This wasn't too odd. There were just too many things that could happen while he wasn't here. That Heavenly Emperor was boasting about Jing He being his precious son all day long but when it really mattered, was he ever there? That guy hadn't even realized his son was sick the last time for two full weeks!

So what would happen if Jing He had fallen sick this time after all? The Heavenly Empress might have told him that she would keep an eye on it and talk to him in a way that would prevent that but nobody could be sure, right?

If he was ... well, he didn't trust those heavenly physicians to treat Jing He successfully and get him back on his feet soon. Clearly, if his beloved was withering away because of longing, only one thing could help him: the presence of his future husband! Needless to say, he had to make sure that this presence was available to him. Ahem!

And even if Jing He hadn't fallen sick, there were so many things to worry about. For example, what if the capital city of the Nine Heavens was attacked? Or what if some scoundrel had taken an interest in him and was trying to abduct him right this moment?

Ah, just thinking of such possibilities, he never should have left him alone for a full week! He had to hurry and check up on him. Only if he saw him could he rest his worried heart. In fact, it might be best to touch a bit as well. It had been much too long since that happened as well ...

When Qiu Ling finally landed in the garden next to Jing He's palace, he brushed through his hair with one hand while eying the flowers, wondering if he should pick one to present it as a meeting gift. Then, his impatience won over the hope of making an impression and he simply rushed inside. As a result ... he found the palace empty.

Qiu Ling blinked his eyes. He looked over his shoulder at the garden and then around the palace again but he still couldn't see even a glimpse of his beloved's figure.

Pursing his lips, he checked behind the folding screen that sectioned off the bath and huffed when he couldn't find him there either. Well, in fact, Jing He certainly wouldn't have liked him if he found him naked while taking a bath so ... maybe that wasn't so bad.

Qiu Ling coughed and then marched past the other folding screen and popped out between the two guards that had been left in front of the entrance to the empty palace. "So ... where is your crown prince?"

Huang Lan and Mu Kun turned around in a daze, their brows twitching.

"Longjun, are you aware that this is the main entrance?"

Qiu Ling nodded and gave Huang Lan a look as if he thought he was an idiot. "But of course! That's why I'm asking you where he is. Surely, you'd have seen if he left. You might have even spoken to him!" In fact, they might have done that for the past seven days which ... he was pretty jealous about. Why hadn't he seen Jing He? That was his own beloved!

Huang Lan's lips twitched. Why did he feel like the dragon king wasn't taking them seriously even when asking for information? Shouldn't be a bit nicer? And what was it with sneaking into the palace from the garden every single time? Couldn't he behave like a normal person and walk through the main entrance after having them announce his presence?!

On the other side, Mu Kun cleared his throat. "We indeed saw His Highness this morning. He told us to let you know that he was going to the Heavenly Emperor's palace."

Qiu Ling turned to the other guard and raised his brows. "His father's place?" Then he should go over and ... Qiu Ling grimaced. The Heavenly Emperor hated him though. If he turned up there to see Jing He, he wouldn't be able to have a moment to himself with his beloved. They'd be nagged by that old man all the time. That wasn't the reunion he had imagined after a full week of having to be apart for the greater good.

Thinking about it for a moment, Qiu Ling decided that this absolutely wasn't allowed to happen. No, after such a long time, the moment they saw each other again had to be something special, something super romantic! He tried to think of the most romantic spots and finally, his brows raised faintly.

With his lips curving into a smile, he leaned closer. "Mu Kun, how about doing me a favor?"

Mu Kun straightened up, feeling weirded out by the sudden intimate behavior. They really didn't know each other at all! Although then again ... had he made an impression on the dragon king? Because he didn't remember that this guy ever bothered to learn other people's names ... unless he perceived them as his rival in love or otherwise held a grudge.

He felt strangely flattered even though he realized that this was most likely due to the fact that the dragon king currently wanted his help. Well, he might lend him a hand there. It naturally depended on what he wanted to do.

He coughed lightly and tried to look serious. "What might be the matter?"

Qiu Ling smiled brightly. "Well, how about you go and tell your crown prince that I've come to the Nine Heavens and would like to see him. I'll wait for him at the bridge leading over the small subsidiary of the River of Forgetfulness in the west of the city. The one with the meadow around it, you know?"

Mu Kun stared at the dragon king and then slightly tilted his head to the side to see Huang Lan who simply shrugged his shoulders. Anyway, if they didn't do it, he'd find somebody else. Mu Kun sighed and then nodded. "I'll tell him."

"Great! Then I'd better go and prepare!" With that, he already rushed off again.

As for the two guards, they looked at each other with some dismay.

Huang Lan pursed his lips. "I've never even seen that bridge and I live here."

"Me neither but I suppose that is why the two of us are single and the dragon king clearly won't be for much longer." He sighed and then waved, leaving his position. "I'll find a servant to tell His Highness. I can't go in there to tell him with a straight face while the Heavenly Emperor sits next to him."

Huang Lan nodded. He didn't think he could do that either. Although, truth be told, he'd have liked to watch the Heavenly Emperor's expression change when he heard the dragon king came by and how he clearly had a romantic surprise planned. Ah, it'd probably be pretty colorful.

Mu Kun walked down the path, not really in much of a hurry. He finally grabbed a servant boy when he had almost reached the Heavenly Emperor's palace and pointed up there. "Is the crown prince still inside?"

The servant hadn't actually come from there so he could only shake his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

Mu Kun hesitated but then smiled. "Well, go in and inquire. If he is, please tell him that Longjun has come to the Nine Heavens and would like to meet him."

The servant nodded and rushed up the stairs. He didn't need to ask much and directly found the crown prince in the study next to the throne room, playing a game of weiqi with his father.

The servant inclined his head in greeting. "Your Majesty, Your Highness." He turned to Jing He, hurriedly lowering his head because he was afraid he'd stare otherwise. "Longjun has come to the Nine Heavens and would like to see you."

Jing He got to his feet. "I'd better go immediately then! I'm sorry, father, we'll have to continue the game another time." Then, he ran out of the study, not even bothering to wait for a reply. No, right now, he could only think of how the man he loved had finally returned and was willing to see him.